Religious Beliefs and Medical Decisions

This assignment delves into the ethical dilemma faced by parents who prioritize religious miracles over medical treatment for their son suffering from kidney failure. It examines the influence of religious beliefs on decision-making, highlighting the importance of critical thinking, reasoning skills, and understanding medical realities. The analysis emphasizes the need for a balanced approach that considers both faith and scientific evidence in navigating complex healthcare situations.

Running head: CHRISTIAN FAITH
CHRISTIAN FAITH
Name of the student:
Name of the university:
Author note:

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The development of reasoning skills and proper systematic thinking are necessary for
every individual to lead a happy, healthy and prosperous life. Over the years, it is seen with the
modernization of generations, humans have started thinking rationally and performed activities
that are based on clever decisions, rational statements and backed by facts. However, these are
not the case of all individuals. It has been seen that there are certain groups of humans who still
depend on the Christ entirely in each of their activities to help them overcome grave situations
like handling of critical ailments, saving from harsh situations and others. This statement should
not be a matter of debate as individuals should, to some extent, depend upon the divine power to
help them survive in the strict and cruel world but one should never be entirely dependent on the
power to help them overcome grave diseases. The support of the concept of miracle is taken by
people in many intense situations when the Bible never speaks or encourages human beings to
believe on miracles. It is very important for human beings to judge a situation in terms of rational
thinking and with proper decision making skills.
Defining a situation with proper rational and critical thinking ability often help human
beings to take decisions that help them to overcome the obstacles. Christ has never himself
preached of the fact to be entirely dependent on him in order to overcome situations (Engelhardt,
2014). He has indeed taught his pupils to learn that proper thinking, right activity and performing
right task at the right time can help in overcoming different issues in life. However, human
being often do not follow these preaching and rather depend upon him as the ultimate power who
would save them from any adverse situations without even trying their best to take initiatives
themselves to handle the matter successfully. In case of Mike, it was seen that he lacked self
confidence on his own ability to think and judge. He lacked critical appraising power and did not
have enough education to judge the situation responsibly in the light of modern medicine. He

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was confused all the time with his decision about his son’s treatment and tried to conceal this
incapability in the name of God’s wishes. He should not have relied on the concept of miracle at
this strenuous time. He should not have taken risk with his son’s life. Depending entirely on
almighty to help his son recover from such organ failures only stated the fact that he was poor in
his rational thinking ability and was not able to take proper decisions at the correct time. Leaving
an entire difficult situation in the name of miracle by God made him a weak character where he
tried to free himself from any blames about his son’s physical health if situations become worse.
It is a duty of every human being to properly explain his decisions and activities with critical
appraising power. Fleeing from the situation in the name of God, shows an escapist feeling. Not
only that, it also shows disgrace to the faith and teaching of god which even harms the
expectation of God from humankind.
The physician in such a situation has to act responsibly. He should first describe to
parents about the physiological conditions that had resulted in the degradation of the kidney in
simple language without the use of any technical jargons or scientific terms. He should also
describe to the parents about how their taking chances and waiting for miracles would continue
degrading their son’s condition of the kidney and threaten his life. In this situation, it is the duty
of the physician to educate the parent by making them of the path-breaking inventions done by
the medical fields in the scientific world. The present bio-psycho-social model of health has been
stated by different researchers over the years to be helpful in considering all the aspects of the
disorders and treating them accordingly. He should help them understand about how organ
donation from Samuel to James will not only save his life but will also lead both of them live a
quality life under proper guidance, diet and maintenance of lifestyles. Organ donation would
help to have the life of his son and will make him live a happy life. However, while discussing

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this topic with the parents, the doctor’s should make sure that he does not hurt the religious
sentiments of the parents and should not comment any derogatory remark about the thinking
procedure of the parents. He should respect the autonomy of the parents and make them
understand the situation rather than pressing his belief on them (Beauchamp, 2016). He should
make them understand that medical treatment would help them to save their son as medical
treatment can never accept the death of a child in the name of miracles. Had miracles been really
existent, Christ himself would never have got such a painful death when he was crucified, as
miracles would have saved him as well. However this had not been the scenario.
On proper analysis of the entire scenario, it is seen that the parents of James and Samuel
do not have proper education and also lack the reasoning skills and proper decision making
skills. In the present era, every individual undertakes proper education that helps him develop his
thinking capability, reasoning power, critical appraising skill. He also learns to properly analyze
important situations, take proactive steps, keep calm and composed in work and be farsighted in
decisions to ensure a safe and healthy future. However, while developing the skills, they can also
at the same time practice their own religious customs, rituals and rights with proper belief on
almighty. Almighty always act as the constant guide and confidante who lessen and preaching
help individuals to gather hope and lessen their pain and suffering by following his teachings.
However, some human beings mistook his teachings and guidelines and in turn depend entirely
on miracles by almighty to help them get over any strenuous situations. They do not take
responsibilities about their own activities and take not initiative by themselves to try to change
the situation for better. They completely rely on almighty without even trying to look over the
aspects which they can perform by themselves. Firstly, it was seen that Mike and Joanne did not
have proper health literacy. They did not know the advantages that medical treatment can bring

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to the life of an ill person. They were not aware of the conditions that kidney failure can have on
their child and therefore they took chances with their son’s life in the name of miracles.
Secondly, although it seemed that they are ardent followers of Christ, they also demeaned the
real teaching of the lord (Swazey, 2017). This is said so because Christ has never stated human
beings to rely on him for protection and survival. He has also not stated of relying on miracles to
be the sole savior of human being in crisis. Rather his teaching dictates human beings to perform
their duties truthfully, confidently and logically by critically analyzing their rationale and
accordingly perform activities that would bring out best outcomes. If the parents would have real
followers of Christianity, they should have never risked their son’s life in the name of miracles
by almighty.
In this situation, Mike should correctly understand and apply god’s preaching. This
preaching would help him to be cool and composed in such worsening situation and will help
him to take decisions properly. He should never think of giving up on the situation entirely on
almighty, as god would never come and cure the kidneys of his son entirely on behalf of doctors.
He should understand that human beings himself prepare the course of his life and hence
accordingly enjoy or suffer the consequences of the activities (Crooks, 2015). God can only
guide them but can never intervene their decisions. In such situation, Mike should have kept his
trust on god, made him cool and composed, believed on the medical treatments and trusted on his
deeds and good luck. A person should believe in himself and his deeds and use his education
and reasoning skills first, before believing on god and following the path of beneficence. In that
way he can be the best follower of almighty.

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References:
Beauchamp, T. L. (2016). Principlism in Bioethics. In Bioethical Decision Making and
Argumentation (pp. 1-16). Springer International Publishing.
Crooks, R. H. (2015). Introduction to Christian Ethics. Routledge.
Engelhardt, H. T. (2014). The recent history of Christian bioethics critically
reassessed. Christian bioethics: Non-Ecumenical Studies in Medical Morality, 20(2),
146-167.
Swazey, J. P. (2017). The courage to fail: a social view of organ transplants and dialysis.
Routledge.